I needed a set of drive shafts for my GPW and bought a bunch of unknown flatfender driveshafts at a swap meet. One turned out to be an F-marked GPW! Oddly, it was still attached to the drive flange...hmmmm. Well, it was removed whole, flange included, because it couldn't be disassembled. It was assembled with the Circlips installed in the pockets of the flange and driveshaft instead on on the edge of the cap where they go on other non-jeep applications. I hope the PO didn't have to try to replace that U-joint on the trail! Since there's no accomodation to remove Circlips in that pocket, and after exhausting all other practical options (small chisel, piano wire, small pliers, etc.) I tried something more novel, and less damaging than cutting an access space in the edge. I carefully built up weld (small MIG) material on the Circlip until the blob was big enough to grab with small pliers. It worked better than expected! Hopefully this will help someone else in a similar situation.
What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints
- JAB
- G-General
- Posts: 9586
- Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 5:25 pm
- Location: under the jeep in North Prairie, WI
What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints
-Jeff
GR8GPN2U!!!
GR8GPN2U!!!
-
- G-Lieutenant General
- Posts: 5638
- Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:29 pm
- Location:
Re: What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints
Nice work Jeff !!JAB wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:29 amI needed a set of drive shafts for my GPW and bought a bunch of unknown flatfender driveshafts at a swap meet. One turned out to be an F-marked GPW! Oddly, it was still attached to the drive flange...hmmmm. Well, it was removed whole, flange included, because it couldn't be disassembled. It was assembled with the Circlips installed in the pockets of the flange and driveshaft instead on on the edge of the cap where they go on other non-jeep applications. I hope the PO didn't have to try to replace that U-joint on the trail! Since there's no accomodation to remove Circlips in that pocket, and after exhausting all other practical options (small chisel, piano wire, small pliers, etc.) I tried something more novel, and less damaging than cutting an access space in the edge. I carefully built up weld (small MIG) material on the Circlip until the blob was big enough to grab with small pliers. It worked better than expected! Hopefully this will help someone else in a similar situation.
IMG_0972.jpg
Bubba get into everything it seems !!
Now it should be ready to rebuild properly .
Ray
-
- G-Lieutenant General
- Posts: 6876
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:25 am
- Location: Tipton,In.
Re: What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints
I have run into this type of U-joint a lot over my years, Jeff.
The clips originally had tangs on the open ends of clip that turned into the center of the cap.
The plan was to grip the tangs with combination pliers, squeeze them together which would collapse the clip out of it's groove and the clip could be removed.
Enter age, rust & corrosion. The clip freezes in the groove and when the tangs are squeezed together, they break off. Leaving what you have in your picture.
One thing I do before attempting to remove the clip, I lay the shaft or flange on something solid and use a round drift and hammer to drive the cap down into the flange. There is a little end play in the u-joint. This drives the cap into the flange a small bit and takes some side pressure off of the clip. Penetrating oil and a little patience and the clip comes loose.
In your case. too late. The tangs are already gone.
Getting creative like you did is the next step.
Nice job !!
And then there are the replacement u-joint assemblies that have clips with pointed tapers on the end of the clip you are suppose to be able to flip out with a small flat blade screwdriver. Maybe.
The clips originally had tangs on the open ends of clip that turned into the center of the cap.
The plan was to grip the tangs with combination pliers, squeeze them together which would collapse the clip out of it's groove and the clip could be removed.
Enter age, rust & corrosion. The clip freezes in the groove and when the tangs are squeezed together, they break off. Leaving what you have in your picture.
One thing I do before attempting to remove the clip, I lay the shaft or flange on something solid and use a round drift and hammer to drive the cap down into the flange. There is a little end play in the u-joint. This drives the cap into the flange a small bit and takes some side pressure off of the clip. Penetrating oil and a little patience and the clip comes loose.
In your case. too late. The tangs are already gone.
Getting creative like you did is the next step.
Nice job !!
And then there are the replacement u-joint assemblies that have clips with pointed tapers on the end of the clip you are suppose to be able to flip out with a small flat blade screwdriver. Maybe.
Mike Wolford
CJ-2A
VEP GPW
Comm./Inst. SEL
AOPA ( 50 yrs)
EAA ( 49 yrs)
4th Inf. Div. - 5th Inf. Div. - 2nd Armor Div. - CIB
CJ-2A
VEP GPW
Comm./Inst. SEL
AOPA ( 50 yrs)
EAA ( 49 yrs)
4th Inf. Div. - 5th Inf. Div. - 2nd Armor Div. - CIB
-
- G-Lieutenant General
- Posts: 4526
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2003 6:03 pm
- Location: Little Meadows PA
Re: What hath Bubba done!? Circlips on U-joints
I have had some u joints with those little c clips in the kits, dont know where they came from, never used them as the correct pieces are all over the place.
adam
adam
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Dodgemann, dpcd67, maurywhurt and 78 guests